The present invention pertains to swimming pool covers, and more particularly pertains to a swimming pool cover that can be placed on the swimming pool and removed therefrom by one individual.
The popularity and ownership of private, residential swimming pools has risen dramatically in recent years as more and more homeowners have opted for the convenience, safety, ready availability and flexibility in use of both above ground and in ground swimming pools. As the popularity of residential swimming pools has increased, their cost has decreased, their range of design has increased, and numerous enhancements and accessories have also been made available.
The most general type of pool cover is the type that is placed over the pool when the swimming season is over and the pool needs protected from the harshxe2x80x94winterxe2x80x94elements until the pool can be opened to commence the swimming season of the following year. The covers require some labor and effort in their deployment, and once they are placed above the pool and secured about the upper ledge and adjacent the pool sidewall, they remain on until the commencement of the next swimming season.
However, there is still the need to protect the pool during the swimming season when it is not in use so that leaves and other types of debris will not accumulate in the pool, marring the quality of the pool water and damaging the filtration equipment. The prior art discloses a number of pool covers that attempt to meet this need.
For example, the Katzman patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,873) discloses a pool cover that includes a cover extended over a swimming pool, and which is maintained in position by water-filled tubes that are inserted into loops spaced about the cover periphery with the tubes located on the pool edge or deck.
The Jackson patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,679) discloses a pool skimmer net that includes two uniquely designed arms, one of which is used for engaging and lifting the pool skimmer cover and the other one for engaging and lifting the strainer basket out of the skimmer.
The MacDonald et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,419) discloses a pool cover draining device that includes an opening formed in a portion of the pool cover to allow water that has collected thereon to drain into the pool. A mesh bag is disposed beneath the opening to prevent debris from draining into the pool.
The Nickalo patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,562) discloses a pool protector device that includes a plurality of interlocking panels that span the swimming pool for preventing external access to the swimming pool water.
The Sullivan patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,156 B1) discloses a swimming pool cover that includes a foldable plastic frame that supports a mesh screen that folds and unfolds with the frame for placement over the swimming pool.
Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, their remains a need for a swimming pool cover that is lightweight, flexible, and, most significantly, can be deployed for use on the swimming pool, and removed therefrom, by only one individual.
The present invention comprehends a swimming pool cover for keeping leaves and other debris out of the swimming and that can be placed on the swimming pool, and removed therefrom, by one individual. The swimming pool cover includes a flexible mesh screen having a peripheral sleeve in which a flexible wiring is disposed. In addition, the peripheral sleeve includes slots through which drawstrings extend so that the drawstrings can be pulled and tied by the individual for tightening and securing the swimming pool cover to the swimming pool. The swimming pool cover can be stored within a storage bag so that upon removal from the storage bag, the swimming pool cover pops open so that one individual can easily maneuver and place the swimming pool cover on the swimming pool.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a swimming pool cover that can be disposed on the swimming pool and removed therefrom by one individual.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a swimming pool cover that can be collapsed for placement in a storage bag.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a lightweight and portable swimming pool cover that can be easily stored and transported.
It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide a swimming pool cover that opens on its own when removed from the storage bag so that the swimming pool cover can be placed on the swimming pool.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool cover that includes features integral with the swimming pool cover that allow for the securement of the swimming pool cover to the swimming pool.
These and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.